Embodiments of the invention generally relate to photonic power devices, and more particularly to high temperature photonic power devices and methods of manufacturing the same.
Generally, optoelectronic devices convert optical energy into electrical energy (or vice versa). In some applications, optical energy, or light, is coupled to optical fiber and dispersed over a receptive surface of an optoelectronic device. Photons of the light excite electrons within the optoelectronic device, promoting said electrons across a band-gap, and produce a net difference or voltage in the optoelectronic device. This net difference is the output electrical energy.
However, several issues arise in real world application of fiber-coupled light transmission systems. For example, in both single-mode and multimode optical fiber systems it is difficult to properly align light output from the optical fiber to efficiently disperse light onto a surface of an optoelectronic device of an optoelectronic device package. In some fiber-coupled systems light sources must be active during alignment and active measurements must be taken from an output of the optoelectronic device (i.e., active alignment). Active alignment procedures such as this add significant cost and time to the manufacturing process.
Furthermore, thermal issues may arise within and around the optoelectronic device during operation and active alignment. As most optoelectronic devices are semiconductor-based devices, thermal changes during operation must be taken into account to ensure efficient and/or maximum output. For example, increased heat may cause alteration of the nominal profile of a semiconductor's band-gap, thereby decreasing the efficiency in collection of photons due to a change in the responsive frequency of photon absorption within the widened band-gap.
Moreover, in high-power applications (i.e., high-wattage light applications) these issues become exceedingly problematic. For example, overall temperature limits of general devices may reach only about eighty-five degrees C. and may have very high temperature differences between the actual semiconductor die and a case mounting the die. The temperature differences during operation may lead to further stress if the temperature threshold is breached, resulting in less efficiency or causing malfunction or even destruction of the device. The temperature differences may be a result of several bonding surfaces and/or interfaces, and may result in increased thermal resistance of the entire package (i.e., optoelectronic device and die).
Therefore, example embodiments of the present invention provide high temperature photonic power devices.